Crispy Chickpea Patties

This recipe is adapted from Vegan Dad. I used red onion and red bell pepper, and reduced the amount of spices, plus added 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch. I served the patties with hot sauce on the side, for the Engineer (though I didn’t use it). We both heartily approve of this dish! I even think next time, I might add 1 tsp. of liquid smoke. This recipe makes 10 to 12 patties, and depending on your appetite, 2 to 4 would be a serving (2 for me, with a side, was enough). I served these patties with a side of salad and basil balsamic vinaigrette (which we still couldn’t get enough of by then).

¼ cup diced red onion (or a big shallot, diced)
¼ cup diced red pepper
1 celery stalk, diced
1 28-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional; note that I haven’t tried it, but will next time)
1 tsp. paprika
1 pinch of Korean pepper
1 dash of hot sauce (or to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch (I ended up using 2 Tbsp.)
vegetable oil, for frying

Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat.

Place chickpeas in a food processor along with the onion mixture. Pulse until chickpeas are no longer whole, but don’t process them too much. Place chickpeas in a bowl and add spices, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Add flour and cornstarch and mix well. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Shape chickpea mixture into 12 patties (I got 10) and fry in batches (4 in my case), about 2-3 minutes per side, or until crispy and browned. Flip a few times if they are browning too quickly. If you have trouble forming the patties, add some more cornstarch to hold it all together. You can keep patties warm in a 200 °F oven until they are all cooked.